7.07.2010

So it's dentist time again. Every 4 months I have to get my teeth cleaned and maintained instead of every 6 months like normal people. Nope. I have fucked up gums that my dentists have attributed to bad genes, like I can do anything about that, and teeth that are of an unfortunate shape that makes a lot of crevices. So going to the dentist fucking sucks, I fucking hate it, it gives me a headache for the rest of the day and sometimes I have to lie down and smoke pot and take advil for the rest of the day. Yes it's that fucking bad. Apparently, dental pain is hardwired to your brain differently than say muscular pain which go through your central nervous system. So I've been going to the dentist stoned silly. It's the only way I can get myself to go. As a grown-up I understand the fact that I need to take advantage of my dental coverage and all that shit and I need to take care of my teeth and all that. But fuck do I ever fucking hate going to the fucking dentist. So much. It's not what they call "dental anxiety." No fuck that. Here's what it is: I DONT LIKE DENTAL PAIN AND IT HURTS, MOFO! It's not the anxiety about the pain that needs management, if only it were so simple. It is the pain itself that is bothersome. So I decided to consult the internet on how to deal with all this pain and whether it has been actually helpful to be using pot before going to the dentist. Here's something I found from http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=36309

Cannabinoid receptor sites are primarily in the peripheral nervous system. As cannabis calms the underlying causes of most back pain, the inflammation and tightness of the muscles, the cannabinoids also act on the peripheral nervous system to modulate the pain messages transmitted to the major nerves. The pain from tooth drilling is a bit different, that kind of pain is hard-wired directly into the brain. Cannabis doesn’t block that pain so much as helps a person to simply look past the pain and ignore it.

Then he talks about getting teeth DRILLED without novocaine. That, I think, is nuts. I feel like I'm going to black out just thinking about that. Check this out:

Take cannabis edibles an hour or two before you are to sit in the dentist’s chair. Not flinching while the dentist is drilling your teeth is a big job. You must lie there absolutely still, melted into the chair, immobile. Cannabis is very useful in this process, not so much to block the high-voltage pain from the tooth drilling, but to help your mind reach the meditative state to deflect that pain, so you can let the pain flow over you like water.

So that's how he's saying pot is beneficial when it's dentist time, which is pretty much how I felt all along. It doesn't stop the pain but it helps you make it more manageable, slightly. I like this meditation exercise he talks about too:

Think of your time in that dentist’s chair like body surfing in big waves. When a crusher wave comes in, you must dive down deep, hold your breath, and let it roll over you. When it’s safe, you can come up again for air. The ocean is too big to fight; you have to hold on until the wave passes. And, it’s the very same thing having your teeth drilled without gas or Novocain. The very second the drilling stops, that tooth pain stops, as well, and you can safely come up for air. With modern high-speed dental drills, the actual total number of seconds of real pain are quite few, providing the excavation isn’t the Grand Canyon (your dentist can help you judge). So, just relax, it’s really not that bad, roll your eyes back, and let her rip! With a little pot spice cake behind you, you’ll be quite surprised, you can handle it! And, it’s only going to hurt for a few seconds, anyway. Afterward, when the drilling’s all done, putting in the filling doesn’t hurt a bit.

Again, that is crazy pants. I will never voluntarily go with LESS pain control. But it was comforting to know that it can be used to manage the whole dentist ordeal, even something like getting a cavity filled.

I plan to also take 4 advil, which the hygienist recommended. BTW, yes I get the numbing rinse which helps a bit, and yes I also use a fluoride rinse and also I use a RX strength fluoride toothpaste and it stiiiiiiiiiiiill hurts in indescribable ways just to get a basic cleaning. I have been brushing 3x a day or more, floss every night with the floss doubled over, and also making sure rub up and down on each tooth 10 times each, and finally using the Soniccare. My teeth and gums get better treatment than any other part of my body so I need a reward here. I need to have a dental visit that does not leave me laying on the couch for the rest of the day. I have too much work to do for that.